Taxonomic information across the Internet

Key to main Polychaete families

This key deals with only the main benthic families.

Many of the questions are link to images which illustrate the features being sought. The images will appear on the right hand frame. In turn many of these images are specific to particular families. If you recognise an image as being similar to a feature on your worm you can often click on the image and it will take you to the relevant family. So there are a number of ways of trying to identify your worm.

Please answer as many questions as possible, then press Analyse.

The key construction is quite a simple program and relies on you answering as many questions as possible. Occasionally you will get some results which may seem strange so please use the hyperlinks to browse through the families given in the answer to see which one seems closest to your specimen.

1	Body divided into clearly defined regions. Not gradually changing down the body
2	Dorsal segmentation hidden by scales or rows of setae
3	Body quadrangular in cross section
4	Body dorso-ventrally flattened. Not cylindrical
5	Operculum
6	Posterior end covered by a hard chitinous shield
7	Segments distinctly longer than wide
8	Ventral furrow present
9	Dorsal surface with rows of spherical tubercles
10	Calcareous tube
11	Proventriculous (Barrel shaped organ in anterior gut)
12	Jaws
13	Prostomium without appendages
14	Head with appendages
15	Caruncle
16	Palps
17	Branchiae
18	Branchial position
19	Parapodia
20	Dorsal cirri
21	Simple Setae
22	Simple hooks
23	Hooks with toothed apex
24	Uncini
25	Lyrate, Furcate or forked setae
26	Compound setae